Alfa Romeo May Be Expecting A Baby SUV In Three Years

Because everyone and their mother still wants an SUV more than anything else…

Alfa Romeo is reportedly working on a new baby SUV positioned below the Stelvio in a growing lineup that will also include a larger, seven passenger SUV. The model will compete with other subcompact crossovers like the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Mercedes-Benz GLA.

According to , the small SUV is expected to arrive in the next three years and will play an important role in the brand’s goal of reaching 400,000 vehicles sales per year by 2022.

The Italian automaker is getting ready to enter the electric vehicle segment.

Alfa Romeo used the 2019 Geneva Motor show to debut the Tonale Concept, previewing its first plug-in hybrid.

Sharing a design language with the larger Stelvio, the sleek compact crossover stands out with a large lower grille flanked by LED-array headlights that are thinner than those on the Stelvio and retro design elements like Alfa Romeo’s characteristic phone-dial wheel, which as borrowed from the 33 Stradale of the 1960s.

Highlights of the interior include a 12.3-inch full digital instrument cluster, a large 10.25-inch touchscreen for the central head unit, and premium materials ranging from aluminum to Alcantara and leather.

Technical details or a launch window for the production Tonale were not revealed, but the model was envisioned with a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Alfa Romeo plans to launch a total of six PHEVs by the end of 2022, and the Tonale will certainly be one of them.

Is Alfa Romeo Giving Birth To A Baby SUV?

Stelvio might be getting a little brother.

Sources famaliar with the vehicle revealed to Greece’s that the model will ride on a model-specific version of the Giorgio platform that underpins the aforementioned Stelvio and the Giulia, meaning it will be rear-wheel drive or, optionally, all-wheel drive.

Power will likely come from a turbocharged, four-cylinder engine and, as unlikely as it might be for the small crossover segment, possibly a V6.

A sub-Stelvio crossover was a centerpiece of the five-year product plan Alfa Romeo presented in June 2018, so this is more than just a rumor. In fact, previous reports claim it will share platforms with either the Jeep Renegade or Compass rather than with the Stelvio.

If designed and built right, the little Italian high-rider could become the company’s best-seller, and releasing it as quickly as possible would help the company reach its goal of selling 400,000 cars annually by 2022.

Alfa Romeo’s Small SUV Will Be Based On Jeep Compass

The Italian automaker’s next high-riding model will borrow from Jeep.

Alfa Romeo’s SUV lineup will soon grow with the addition of a new compact crossover based on the Jeep Compass, which contradicts earlier reports claiming it would ride on a shrunken version of the rear-wheel drive Giorgio platform that underpins the Giulia sports sedan.

According to , Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will dedicate $5.7 billion to produce new models and engines at its factories in Italy.

The new compact Alfa Romeo SUV, which is expected to be offered with a plug-in hybrid powertrain, will sit below the Stelvio (pictured) and compete in the same segment as the Volvo XC40, Audi Q3 and Lexus UX.

FCA didn’t confirm when the new Alfa Romeo SUV will arrive or if it will be sold in the United States and Canada, but an earlier report claimed it will arrive in 2021 at the earliest.

How does the idea of an Alfa Romeo based on a Jeep compass sound? Share your thoughts in the comments below.